Historical Novel

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Winter of the Metal People

The Untold Story of
America's First Indian War

(2014 finalist in the
New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards)

"A riveting historical novel of immense scholarship and insight. Dennis Herrick makes the story of the first American Indians in the West to face the military might of European forces as vivid and real as if Coronado's expedition had ridden out of Mexico yesterday. Winter of the Metal People will forever influence your perception of the stunning landscapes and rich cultures of the Southwest." --Margaret Coel, author of the
Vicky Holden and Father O'Malley mysteries

Read about America's first named Indian war. The historical novel, Winter of the Metal People, adds for the first time the Puebloan point of view alongside the traditional conquistadors' perspective of the Coronado expedition in 1540-42.

Now in its second edition, this is the only book devoted to the Tiguex War (pronounced TEE-wesh), which Coronado's expedition and its 2,000 Mexican Indian allies fought against the Pueblo Indians, mostly between Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

Winter of the Metal People follows a young Tiwa Pueblo warrior who reluctantly takes leadership of his people in a time of crisis, overcoming self-doubt to lead Puebloans in guerilla warfare against the Spaniards.

The paperback can be ordered from any bookstore if it's not in stock. Check with Indiebound for the bookstores in your area. See a list of some Southwest bookstores where the paperback is kept in stock at BOOKSTORES.

Also, go to the home page and see how to order an autographed copy directly from the author with a credit card.

Outside of the U.S.? The book is also available on most of Amazon's international websites. Simply go to the appropriate nationality and search for Winter of the Metal People.

Please read:
* Wikipedia page for the author
* The Latest Word from 1540, chapter 16 titled "The Tiguex War in Fact, Folklore, and Fiction"
* Native Peoples magazine article"Xauían and the Tiguex War"
* Roundup magazine article "Perseverance and Luck"
* New Mexico Mercury online article "A Puebloan View of a Lesser-Known War"
* several reviews of the book
* a blog for the book
* a newspaper article about the book
* the publisher's website

Further Readings:

History of Santiago Pueblo, which Coronado commandeered for his military headquarters during the Tiguex War. The original Tiwa name was Ghufoor. Spaniards renamed the pueblo as Coofor and as Alcanfor. It has been known as Santiago Pueblo since at least 1602.

Account written in 1539 by Friar Marcos de Niza on the discovery of Cíbola. This report of the exploration by a Franciscan friar and the African explorer Esteban is what led to Coronado's expedition into the present-day American Southwest in 1540.

Excerpts about the Tiguex War (in original Spanish) from Libro Segundo de la Crónica Miscelánea written by Friar Antonio Tello around 1650. Although his account contains errors, Tello's account is nevertheless valuable because he had access to many original documents of the Coronado expedition that are no longer known to exist.

Book cover illustration is by Persingula Tafoya of Kewa Pueblo

Indiegogo "Patrons": Thanks and a tip of the hat to the following: Alec Laughlin, Michael Howard, anonymous, Brian and Carolyn Gilmore, and Tim and Monica Coder.
The easiest way to reach me is by email through the "Contact" tab.